Ask Tough Questions Before Buying a 3D Printer

As you head to conventions and enter into the technology area, you are going to see at least half a dozen 3D printers from different manufacturers offering you the lowest cost printers that can deliver “according to them” all that you need to be competitive and 3D print your designs. It makes sense to guide you through this field of equipment to the right printer that meets your needs and fits your budget. For starters, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

So, When you are looking to buy a 3D printer, here are some questions and topics to consider:

1. Is the 3D printer running an industrial projector with square pixels and glass uv optics built for 3D printing or an off the shelf projector using diamond pixels for watching movies for better image blending and plastic non UV optics?
   •  Take note when buying the ProJet 1200, you get the $99 pico projector, or the Asiga which gives you the Dell M115 business projector, or the Kevvox which uses the Optima home theatre projector, or the B9 creator which with a vivitek home theatre projector. Projectors in low cost printers are modified by manufacturers to deliver low cost printers that can only survive around 90 days of daily usage. They are designed for visible light not UV light for resin curing.
2. What materials can the machine run?
   • Only plastic models or castable wax based resin. Yes, they all claim that they have castable resin, but before you buy, please try casting in-house a sample of a real ring from them before you believe their sales pitch.
3. Can they build with different materials such as high temp for rubber molding and wax based for direct casting or are you limited to one material?
4. Are you restricted to using their proprietary file format or do you have freedom to print any design in an STL format?
5. Do they have real live people to support you or are they asking you to email them because they are not based in the USA and support is only available via email?
   • Before you put a deposit on that printer to get their show special, get their tech support phone number, walk 5 feet away from booth and see if you get any one to answer on the other side when you ask for tech support.
6. What happens if your printer breaks down?
   • Do they have a guaranteed repair turnaround time, and will they build your rings while your printer is in transit or being repaired?

Be Informed

EnvisionTEC 3D printers come equipped with essential pointers on how to run your machine, troubleshoot, and set yourself up for success. Be sure to thoroughly read your 3D printer manual — it will have important info machine specifications, site requirements and system requirements. Many early snags can be avoided by accommodating your machine properly within your building and within your network infrastructure.

Another great resource is your sales representative. Your EnvisionTEC sales rep will be knowledgeable about the range of EnvisionTEC machines and will direct you to the right product for your business, but your relationship with your sales liaison need not end upon the purchase of your EnvisionTEC machine! Our sales team is equipped with the knowledge and tools to continue aiding you in your 3D printing processes.

Future Gains

Be patient while you ascend the learning curve, especially if you’re a first-time 3DP user. 3D printing is a large domain of information for any business to assimilate, and EnvisionTEC’s core technologies require understanding and comfortability for proper usage.

Branding

Branding is a concept that’s integral to the successful marketing of most products. For retail and consumer items, a recognizable brand is important to connect with shoppers – the same goes for any products in the tech sphere. Recognition builds confidence, not to mention the fact that a customer will be more comfortable investing in a product if they agree with and understand the marketing concept. How do you get your audience to connect with your brand? Customization and uniformity. This pairing may seem at odds, but let’s take a look at the ways in which 3D printing applies to branding.

 

Enter 3D Printing

3D printing is exciting for consumers because the average layperson often doesn’t know much about the technology — not only does the term often bring to mind visions of laser beams and spaceships, “3D printing” also sets off a chain of buzzwords in the media, wherein 3D printing is synonymous with “a revolution” or “the future.” 3D printing, also known as rapid manufacturing, leads to faster lead times, better turnaround times and products that reach the market more quickly. It’s also a technology which allows for mass-customization — quickly! — in addition to individualization. 3D printing can grow three jobs of identical objects in one day — or, three trays of unique pieces. Dental laboratories and the hearing aid industry already have the grasp of uniformity and customization –the nature of their manufacturing process calls for both. An application for 3D printing with branding can be similarly taken advantage of.

3D printing can be used to modify existing products for a wider range of consumers. Makers are already doing this to a large extent — there’s no reason why companies shouldn’t begin thinking along similar lines and profiting from doing so. Two key aspects influencing consumers are ease of use and personalization — 3D printing opens the possibility for both.

An IT service supporter predicts the management and logistical issues that will arise from integrating 3D printing into business infrastructures. 3D printing may be applied a dazzling array of instances. Certainly this widespread and variegate sphere of application calls for an increase in — or restructuring of — support and management. Outside of consumer hobbyists, 3D printing will have the greatest impact on businesses that design and manufacture discrete products, introducing rapid prototyping to speed up development cycles and an alternative production method for customized finished objects.

Not only does 3D printing extend to many industries, it can eliminate entire steps in production. For making hearing aids, jewelry, and dental appliances, 3D printing changes the game completely by filling in for molds and casting masters. In addition, 3D printing also opens up the possibility for customization where this was not before possible — rapid prototyping will speed up not only the manufacturing process, but a company’s product timeline altogether.

Support and Security

There are the obvious questions that arise when any new factor is introduced to a business, such as integration and tech support. EnvisionTEC integrates 3D printers into the existing network of our clients’ companies. As with any specific technology requiring special knowledge, 3D printers do require support for potential problems or misuse of software or hardware. While a 3D printer may be integrated successfully when it has first been purchased, the needs of the client or conditions of the machines use (factors that are different for every business) may interfere with its operation.

The digital files used in 3D printing also pose an interesting problem for management as this proprietary information may be vulnerable to hackers anywhere in the world, as opposed to a physical blueprint likely found in only a few locations. It will be necessary to encrypt data and find digital security solutions for both patents and work in progress.

These are important aspects to consider in a discussion on 3D printing, and we look forward to participating in the conversation. We believe in a future that embraces 3D printing, which means adequately addressing the logistical concerns surrounding its implementation.

Retail

3D printing is exciting for retail because of the customization it offers. The ability to tweak items based on consumer preference speaks for itself. Certain aspects of retail form a perfect pairing with the technology — specialized industries could achieve the characteristics of their products more easily. They could also expand their niche and make previously unattainable advancements.

Perhaps even more importantly, 3D printing can play a role in the industrial production of virtually all items. The technology is already being used in aircraft engines and car engines. Large manufacturers such as Siemens, General Electric and Bowles Fluidics are investing in additive manufacturing. The fields of CAD, aerospace, robotics and automation all see benefits from rapid prototyping. 3D printing does benefit consumers as well — 3D printing a complex part can now be done more quickly, with less wasted material, thus at a cheaper cost. 3D printing can also allow customization of parts that previously had to be milled and molded, or ordered on commission from a special manufacturer.

3D printing is very sustainable because it uses less material and may be conveniently localized in-house. Though technical expertise is required and many developments are still progressing, the current benefits are clear. 3DP allows for a more precise business case. It improves supply chains, as evident when companies perform cost benefits analysis — using 3DP yields a shorter production cycle, which in turn lowers research costs and capital costs while providing concurrent information as to the product’s performance and design. Then, it gets to market faster with a lower margin of error. 3D printing is also especially suited for e-commerce and selling products in “internet time.” In addition to traditional retailers, the same benefits apply to those in the digital space who can advertise items ad infinitum but only produce them when ordered.

In short, the widespread application of 3D printing to professional production means that tailored, useful items will appear on the market as designers and companies make better products for consumers at lower costs.

Education

Teaching younger generations to use 3D printing opens up many possibilities for the future of science and manufacturing. The task of learning 3D printing technology involves several different aspects and key skills. 3D printed objects may first and foremost be useful in a learning environment in the capacity of true-to-life models. Many companies and professionals that update to 3D printing need training in order to use the system. When learning 3DP becomes de rigueur instruction, perhaps as part of computer education courses, then students will come away with knowledge of computer-aided design, physics and mathematics. From there a learner can expand to other skill sets in the STEM such as coding and engineering, or those skills in the “maker” community, such as product design.

Is EnvisionTEC ready for the classroom?

The EnvisionTEC Micro Plus Hi-Res has the smallest footprint of the EnvisionTEC family of 3D printers with the same great resolution and accuracy one expects from a “personal factory” Perfactory® machine. This user-friendly machine can be up and running the same day it is retrieved out of the box, making the Micro EDU an option for educators as well as consumers.

The 3D-Bioplotter® has been in use by several top research labs and universities. These institutions are searching for health and medical solutions. Shah Lab, headed by Dr. Ramille Shah, researches tissue engineering using 3D printing at Northwestern University. The team uses the 3D-Bioplotter® to create and develop the use of human biological scaffolds. Shah Lab experiments with materials like bone or cartilage that can be implanted in order to allow tissue to regenerate itself in the human body.

With the addition of the Developer Series, the 3D-Bioplotter® now comes in two versions to meet the needs of different user groups (and their budgets). The 3D-Bioplotter® Developer Series is ideal for the exploratory and experimental requirements of educational institutions, while the 3D-Bioplotter® Manufacturing Series is suited for advanced tissue engineering research and production.

3D Productivity

3D printing has been hailed by some proponents and industry members as a revolution in manufacturing. This technology originated in the eighties but is just now starting to spark the imaginations of big businesses and small makers alike.

Imagine a 3D printer that exists side-by-side with your desktop computer, between a file stack and a paper printer. A prototyping machine that fits deftly within your workspace and produces high-resolution builds every time. Children learning industrial engineering, product design, and computer-aided manufacturing entirely within a hands-on classroom setting. With plug-and-play technology and an assortment of resins, it’s possible for the end user to make a variety of objects useful for various means.

 

Maker

A “maker” is an individual involved in the emerging do-it-yourself lifestyle. Examples include homesteading, crafting, microbrews, modified electronics and devices, handcrafted clothing, to crafting, the maker movement offers independence and customization not possible in the market at large. “Makerspace” describes the intellectual property created by individuals interested in constructing items typically with personal value or significance. 3D printing bureaus are conduits to 3D printing marketplaces and service bureaus where makers can upload and share STL files. Items available in the makerspace range from practical to creative. Clever 3D printed objects from makers streamline the use of favorite gadgets such as ear phones, Google glass, laptops, etc. Also found in the Makerspace are 3D printed figurines, jewelry and other varieties of additively-manufactured entertainment.

Makers model small-scale ideas that give way to high-end solutions in 3DP. Let us help you “do-it-yourself” — turn maker ideas into fast, reliable business prototypes that streamline the future of production.

The projects you can achieve on a 3D printer are often material-dependent. The speed, accuracy and final functionality of the parts you’re 3D printing can be achieved by different resins which are formulated for different applications, and also for varied parameters and build times. Detail is paramount in finished parts, because the designs are often scaled down. These aspects are commonly lost on cheap 3D printers. An EnvisionTEC 3D printer can reproduce minuscule details with high fidelity to the original design, so that the design as a whole can be presented to the client.

CAD Software

An important part of 3D printing for most companies is the software that enables the design of an object and electronic transfer over to the 3D printing equipment. CAD software programs are not cheap and like many other programs, require the purchase of a license to renew or continue use.

You can use any CAD programs that export STL files on EnvisionTEC equipment, but EnvisionTEC does has partnerships with a variety of leading CAD companies that have developed software for our machines. These companies include 3Shape for dental applications and hearing aids, Dental Wings, Orchestrate 3D for orthodontia, Gemvision for jewelry — as well as Autodesk and Dassault Systems for broader MCAD uses. for specialized applications. Software such as 3Shape and Dental Wings are used in conjunction with EnvisionTEC equipment to build restorations, partials and the like in dental labs. provide solutions along the lines of bundling your current programs, evaluating how much you’re using them, how much you’re spending, and finally whether or not you need to pay for a new license. Be sure to monitor your existing CAD usage– you could greatly reduce how much money you’re spending and also help you modify your existing software agreements.

An increasing amount of CAD products are entering the market with support for the 3D printing file format, which means more options for manufacturing and professional design applications. With the increase in available technology, it’s important to be aware of available tools so you can optimize your software usage and get printing.

Design

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, encompasses many areas. What many users — both new and prospective — don’t understand about 3D printing is that the process goes one step further than the design of a discrete object. Oftentimes, how the object will be supported takes some careful design — and creative problem-solving — as well.

Design for 3D printing has to be two-pronged — the part not only has to be planned for its function, but also designed for 3D printing itself. The latter type of design involves supports, material thickness and part positioning.

It’s important to be aware of how the object you’re growing will be positioned on the build platform. Frequently parts come out better if they are grown upside down. Most importantly, the part needs to be supported properly. Sometimes a design may be partially or fully self-supporting.

Most pieces, however, will need supports added to the design, and the correct supported positioning may not be apparent right away.  If the part is heavy, it will bend and break, or will be built with visible warping or sliding dimensions.

Magics Software

Most CAD programs will add supports for you — all of EnvisionTEC printers (excepting the Micro EDU) come with Magics software. Magics auto-generates most supports, however, Jon our ULTRA technician recommends checking every support on the build job.  With the setting s set up properly, Magics will generate most supports properly.  The machine file needs to be adjusted to change the build style — adapt the support settings under the machine properties tab.

In general, the physical design will be subjected to limitations that the digital rendering is not. The material properties and build plate dimensions will have to be taken into consideration, as well as the final weight of the part which could need extra support. If the part has hollow areas, the negative space will necessitate lattice support structure, or else the rest of the part will collapse.

Finally, it’s important to consider the scale of your piece — the smaller the scale, the more you will need to correct for wall thickness. This integer will have to be enough to support the rest of the design. In the case of the Miller 91 designed by Tom Castermans, the 1/43rd size vehicle had to have special modifications completed on the chassis design.

Often, even if your design is complete, you may need to perform several iterations depending on the complexity of supports required for your build.

Magics software is a compatible platform for EnvisionTEC 3D printers. Magics is capable of importing files in the STL format from other design software, and edit STL files. Magics software can perform many if not all of the functions associated with preparing a digital model for 3D printing.

Magics can copy parts and fill build-plate with it, orient parts on the build plate, and tell the printer where to build and where not to build. The software generates platforms for your builds which correspond to the size of the build plate of the 3D printer. Platforms are the source of support for your builds, they also serve as a reference point for orientation. You can work with multiple parts and save them as a whole in a certain position using a platform.

Magics can be used for slices. Slices refer to Z clipping, which is a composite of pitch plane in X, Y, or Z. The user can choose to hide all planes but one so that you can see how the part will grow. If an “island”, or random portion, grows as the user views the slices in Z, then the user knows that section needs to be supported.

 

Magics also can check for and fix collisions. A collision refers to two parts meeting, which would cause a build failure were the object sent to print. You can use the collision detection tool to fix this problem. When you choose Automatic Placement under the “Build Preparation” tab, Magics will nest your builds in the first solution found.

 

A user can also select “Grouping” under the same tab in order to ensure that the parts stay consistent — if you move one piece, any piece that is linked to it will also move while preserving the same proportion between the two.

 

3D printing popularity has grown — due to the availability and price point of small printers meant for the home in addition to businesses large and small. The demand for 3D printing seems to be higher than ever as new players attempt to enter the market. With all the technologies currently available, it’s true that companies fulfill different niches with varying levels of quality and application abilities. EnvisionTEC fills a wide-range of applications in the 3D printing market — EnvisionTEC promises to uphold our basic tenets through newly-developed solutions.

The Micro Plus Hi-Res caters to entry-level consumers. The self-calibrating Micro EDU is office and classroom-friendly, an out-of-the-box printer that plugs directly into your computer via a USB cord. This printer is ideal for educators teaching students industrial or product design, for consumers wishing to 3D print at home or designers that desire rapid results while prototyping pieces in their workstation. Meanwhile, the recently-released Micro Advantage for the jewelry industry sports a large build size for a desktop 3D printer, twice that of other technologies aimed at the same market.

EnvisionTEC is perhaps most well-known, however, for its high-grade solutions for the professional market. Our promise is a three-pronged one: accuracy, speed, and functionality. EnvisionTEC delivers all three of these across all of our 3D printing lines. Our company has been tried and proven across a wide range of platforms, from consumer products, sporting goods, industrial engineering and even animation, to name a few. Finally, EnvisionTEC enjoys bringing expert solutions to the jewelry, hearing aid and dental markets, three categories where few other technologies can provide similar excellence.

Innovation

How exactly does EnvisionTEC continue to innovate? Founder and CEO Al Siblani will tell you. “It’s our ability to deliver customized solutions, to deliver niche products that meet the demands of a specific market.”

It’s important that EnvisionTEC brings three things to the table: functionality, high resolution and accuracy, and build speed.

“All our competitors can give you two out of three. But nobody can give you the three pillars of the industry,” says Al.

What’s next for EnvisionTEC? Just ask Al: “We are going to take the concept of grass growing out of 3D printing.” Many people are familiar with the experience of sending a document from a computer to a printer only to wait with your hand out for the piece of paper to appear. 3D printing is much like growing grass at this juncture. With the current average build time, it’s not possible to watch an object materialize before your eyes. Our R&D team is working on making 3DP from EnvisionTEC a much faster process without sacrificing accuracy, resolution or functionality.

We hope the next generation of machines will be able to build real industrial parts the same day they are designed. If you’re a designer, our vision is that your first iteration will be printed while you’re still in the studio.  You shouldn’t have to wait overnight to hold your design in your hand. EnvisionTEC makes professional-grade printers for designers and engineers who need design verification to prototype and move forward. Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could print your design and work on it in the same day?  “In a working eight hour day you should be able to send the product to the printer, you should be able to take it out of the printer, hold it in your hand and make your first revision on the product that you designed,” says Al.

Perfactory® printers use voxel data to build objects pixel by volumetric pixel. Competing technologies process files resin in slices, which results in uneven surface finish, stair-stepping and build leaning. The volumetric pixels allow for greater accuracy and smooth surfaces on objects for exceptional surface finish and quality — one of the reasons why is the chip. A commercial DLP chip typically found in a movie theatre uses diamond pixels. These diamond-shaped pixels blend colors smoothly on the big screen but unfortunately causes stair-stepping and poor resolution in 3D printing. The DLP® chip in EnvisionTEC 3D printers uses square pixels which line up more precisely than the diamond-shaped pixels.

EnvisionTEC also utilizes a patented grayscale technique to smooth the surfaces of the pixels. The user can manipulate the grayscale values on the outer and inner contours of the design in order to improve surface finish.

Turnaround Time

3D printing currently offers much faster turnaround time in production than traditional methods. With a 3D printer, a file can be designed in CAD, sent to print, and become a physical object within hours. Conventionally, the object would have had to have been sculpted out of wax, clay or another soft material by hand. This sculpture then would have been used to make a mold, from which a master cast was made. 3D printing eliminates several of these steps: for many industries, the master can be directly printed. Two industries that make the most of this aspect of additive manufacturing are the hearing aid industry and the jewelry industry.

 

Outsourcing

Using CAD/CAM to 3D print also allows companies to take full advantage of the Internet and electronic communication during production. Not only can STL files be sent elsewhere if another designer or technician needs to help work on a file, they can also be sent to print anywhere in the world, in theory. If a business wants to employ talented designers who live at remote locations, they can do so. If they wish to outsource their files to be printed elsewhere, they can do that as well.

Material Usage

One of the coolest things about additive manufacturing is just that — it’s an additive process, rather than the “subtractive” method employed by customary forms of manufacturing, such as machining or sculpting. With these forms of production, material is being excised from the final design. 3DP makes use of far less material since the design is directly printed — the only material that is excised are the supports, which are typically minimal on an EnvisionTEC printer, especially in comparison with most low-cost hobbyist printers.

Design Verification

The last and perhaps most significant — or obvious! — advantage of 3D manufacturing is the ability to have a design in-hand. R&D can hold the model and look at its physical aspects, which is especially important if you want to patent a design. Not only can a 3D printed prototype be held and touched, it often can also be used for its intended function. Whether you’re prototyping a piece, testing a part or even utilizing it for its end-use function, 3DP makes all of these things possible during and after production.

Training

Beginning printing immediately with EnvisionTEC’s plug-and-play technology is possible, however EnvisionTEC recommends completing training with EnvisionTEC technical support staff. Even seasoned makers well-versed in 3D printing processes are advised to complete training before commencing use, Training varies by machine. For any new user of an EnvisionTEC ULTRA® 3D printer or a Perfactory® 3D printer, training will be completed on-site at the time of installation. For any new user of a Micro® Family 3D printer, training classes are offered in Detroit, Los Angeles, Toronto, Gladbeck and Stoke-on-Trent.

Comprehensive training from EnvisionTEC includes detailed overview of the latest version of Magics software and Perfactory RP software. Participants typically design, print and cure a test part by the end of training.

Micro Training is divided into two days. The first day the group learned an overview of how to create a file and send it to the machine. They built their first job at the end of the day. During day 2, Don taught them how to clean parts and also reviewed all software packages in more detail.

If you’re thinking about purchasing an EnvisionTEC printer and you don’t have any previous experience with the process, you probably have some training you need to learn Magics, the Micro Controller, loading material, curing and cleaning parts, and handling the machine itself.

Using the software associated with a Micro printer is a multi-step process and it’s necessary to be familiar with CAD. First Don’s class learned how to export the STL file out of CAD and into Magics 16.2 — the file needs to be checked for errors, and positioned on the platform before you generate supports for your models.

Then the file needs to be imported into the Perfactory RP program, in which PNG files — grey shading — which plot out voxel depth every 25 microns in the Z direction. (Reminder — a voxel is a three-dimensional, or “volumetric,” pixel!)

It’s necessary before any job on any machine to check the resin reservoir and be sure the Micro has enough material in the basement. Once the trainees have done so, the PNG folder can be loaded to the Micro Controller. The Micro Controller is the software connect to tell the machine what to do — every EnvisionTEC printer besides the Micro has its own computer interface on board.

Once that is done, the machine is ready to build! All of the trainees built their parts overnight, and learned to remove the parts from the basement, clean them, and remove supports on Day 2. While their parts post-cured in an Otoflash oven, they went over the software once more before taking home their brand-new EnvisionTEC machinery.

Workflow

Besides the operation of your EnvisionTEC 3D printer, it is likely that the workflow will change. Projects, deadlines and research will need to be managed and adapted while your staff may need to be managed differently.

Serious Manufacturing

Rapid prototyping, or additive manufacturing as it’s also called, is a usage of 3D printing technology which will change the way many companies process their products. The key to EnvisionTEC printers is that they are professional-grade workhorse machines — they are perfect for the user with a design-intensive and draft-heavy workload. Any problems with your item can be singled out and eliminated immediately when you have your print in-hand. Design flaws become apparent when a designer can see what works and what doesn’t. The aspects that are undesirable can be quickly changed the electronic file before the second iteration is built. Dan Nivanh at Cleveland Golf finds that printing out prototype golf drivers with his company’s ULTRA® is helpful in a myriad of ways. Not only is he able to change and rework iterations of designs, the features on an item can also be verified for patents.

Read about Cleveland Golf’s manufacturing process here.

3DP will change manufacturing with its high capacity for customization. In traditional manufacturing, one type of item can be built at once. Any altered items or derivations need at least a partial or a completely new tooling change.

The projects you can achieve on a 3D printer are often material-dependent. The speed, accuracy and final functionality of the parts you’re 3D printing can be achieved by different resins which are formulated for different applications, such as MCAD, and also for varied parameters and build times.

In the MCAD sector, the applications are manifold: prototype tooling, visual aids, presentation modeling, functional models, patterns for metal casting, direct manufacturing, fit and assembly.

The following are a few of the industries that EnvisionTEC supports in the design, manufacturing and engineering space.

3D printing is a streamlined alternative method to traditional design and manufacturing processes. Simultaneously produce multiple design iterations so that each to test for form, fit and function. Furthermore a designer can save time, check ergonomics and visual appeal, without the extra steps associated with pre- or post-production tooling. EnvisionTEC’s 3D printing equipment builds even highly complex geometries quickly and accurately. Durable end-use parts are also possible with the additive manufacturing capabilities of 3D printing.

The engineering behind aerospace applications often requires design with complex geometries. With CAD/CAM software and 3D printers, it’s possible to design, prototype and test those geometries. Tooling is often expensive and contracted; using a 3D printer eliminates the need to rely on a separate entity for this service.

A recent article on Aviation International News discusses 3D printing in this industry within the context of a 3D printed part designed by BAE Systems. The company built a miniscule pipe for the BAe 146 Jetliner which serves a vent for the jet’s windows. The parts were originally produced by a supplier who could no longer fulfill the order.

BAE decided to try 3D printing and found a commercial printer who could replicate the part. Tooling is often expensive and runs out of stock; the printed parts cost 60% less than the customary tooling, according to the article.

Additive manufacturing has many benefits for most industries. Aerospace is one field that has not yet fully realized the extent to which it can benefit from 3DP manufacturing. Not only is it an economical decision, as mentioned above, it’s also a practical one. In the case of BAE, they couldn’t rely on their tooling supplier and had to find a 3DP one instead. If the company chooses to invest in a printer, BAE would not need to do so at all — they could prototype in-house. In addition, 3D printed parts are completed in one whole piece. Imagine the added stability of such a part in an aircraft. Think of the shortened production time for parts that do not require assembly.

 

Used in early stages of product development for electronics, 3D printing precision models reduce costs and shorten development timelines so you can get your product to market and make changes without waiting for a third party to perform retooling. EnvisionTEC 3D printers are capable of reproducing the smallest details, allowing electronic devices to remain as accurate as the STL file and as functional as the concept.

 

With EnvisionTEC 3D printing, one can evaluate, optimize and communicate designs with functional prototypes. Due to the wide range of materials, your designs can be tested for form, fit and function in a real-world environment using 3D printing without having to rely on expensive and time-consuming tooling. Rather than the weeks you might have traditionally waited for a prototype, 3D printing allows you to produce many iterations and test detailed design changes in a fraction of the time.

So why choose EnvisionTEC when there’s other 3DP machines out there?

EnvisionTEC beats the competition with support, machine upgradability and customer fidelity. Purchasing an EnvisionTEC machine means technical support from in-house experts who work with the machines and other customers daily. EnvisionTEC offers machine upgrades for existing printers, and finally, roughly one third of EnvisionTEC clients buy a second machine. These three points are notwithstanding the speed, exceptional quality of parts and high functionality offered by EnvisionTEC 3D printers.

Cheap machine means cheap parts, no service, and no support and worst of all cheap quality output not good enough for the professional

Go with a reputable product that is not cheap but properly priced backed by a company with a first class support team. Go with a professional grade printer designed from the ground up for high end printing, and don’t forget to ask the tough questions before you buy another cheap printer that will become another coat hanger.

If you want to experience some of the same advantages, contact EnvisionTEC today to speak with a sales representative.

Phone: 1-313-436-4300

Website: http://env.ciwebstudio.com/contact-us/

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